The present invention relates generally to apparatus and methods for preventing the sewer line of a building from becoming clogged and more particularly to apparatus and methods that include the use of a cleaning device permanently installed within the sewer line and that can be rotated periodically.
Present day sewer systems for residential, commercial, industrial and hospital buildings comprise a sewer line attached to the various plumbing fixtures, such as sinks, toilets, showers, bathtubs and drains, such as floor drains, within the building. Because such waste materials often include substantial solids or extremely heavy or coagulating liquids, the sewer line of many buildings often become clogged thereby inhibiting or preventing the flow of waste material through such sewer line away from the building.
Prior to the present invention, numerous devices were developed for unclogging sewer lines after they become clogged. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,457,580 (issued to Meyers on July 29, 1969), 2,953,799 (issued to Arnold on Sept. 27, 1960), 2,651,067 (issued to Collison on Sept. 8, 1953), 1,915,679 (issued to LaMotte on June 27, 1933) and 1,796,679 (issued to Nowakowski on Mar. 17, 1931). Generally speaking, such devices include a flexible cable having an auger or cutter blades on one end and a means for rotating the cable and auger. In using such devices, the auger or cutter is inserted into the line at an opening in such line, e.g., a sewer line clean out which is provided for such purpose, a drain or a roof vent, and the auger or cutter is then moved through the sewer line by feeding the cable through the opening. The flexibility of the cable enables the cable to negotiate the bends in the sewer line. By using the rotating means, the cutter or auger can be rotated so that it can cut through any clogs in the line. Once the sewer line has been unclogged, the cable and the auger or cutter are pulled out of the sewer line.
Although such lines have proved to be effective in unclogging sewer lines, there still exists at least some "down time" during which the sewer system of the building cannot be used and extending from the time the line becomes clogged until the time the line is unclogged and the cable is removed from the line. In instances where the clogging is severe or the line is long and/or includes many bends, this down time can be substantial. Furthermore, proper operation of such devices often requires the services of a professional plumber who must make a service call thereby increasing the down time and the cost of unclogging the line. In many establishments, such as restaurants, not only do sewer lines become clogged regularly, but also all down time of the sewer system precludes operation of such establishments.
Also prior to the present invention, sewer line cleaning devices which are permanently mounted in the sewer line have been described. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,454,884 (issued to Peaden on Nov. 30, 1948) and 2,306,925 (issued to Pokopac et al on June 17, 1919). Because such devices are permanently mounted, as compared to the cable devices described supra, they may have some tendency to eliminate the down time resulting from a clogged sewer line since the steps of inserting and removing the devices are eliminated. The permanently installed devices disclosed in Peaden and Pokopac, however, must be custom designed for each sewer line because the device must have a special joint or gearing apparatus corresponding to each bend in the sewer line. Furthermore, the devices of Peaden and Pokopac must be installed at the time the sewer line is installed. Also, when not in use, the devices of Peaden and Pokopac extend through a substantial portion of the diameter of the sewer line thereby creating a permanent additional and substantial obstruction to the flow of waste material through the line. Thus, the number of times the sewer line become clogged is increased.